4º juan & uxía the scream

THE SCREAM

4ºESO

Uxía Vázquez López y Juan Ramón Vázquez Varela

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IES de Fene

1.

Table of Contents 1.1.

The author

1.2.

Introduction 1.2.1.

1.3.

About the painting

Formal analysis 1.3.1.

Description

1.3.2.

Our Interpretation

1.3.3.

Basic facts

1.4.

Formal qualities

1.5.

Style

1.6.

Context 1.6.1.

Symbolism

1.7.

Critical analysis

1.8.

Bibliographical references

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1.

The author Edvard Munch was born in Løten, on December 12th, 1863. He was

a Norwegian painter and printmaker, outstanding in the Expressionism and Symbolism. When he was young he lost his loved ones. Hence all his pictures express desolation, agony, torment…

Munch had a very hard life. He had emotional problems, alcohol problems... Even, he was held in a psychiatric.

He defines his life as that:

“I inherited two of mankind's most frightful enemies -the heritage of consumption and insanity.”1 He died in Ekely, on January 23rd, 1944. In a completely loneliness.

Among Munch’s paintings, we could stand out: ●

1892: Evening on Karl Johan ­Oil on canvas, 84.5 x 121 cm­

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1893: The scream ­Oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard.

Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo­

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1894: Ashes ­Oil on canvas. 120.5 × 141 cm.Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo­

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1894–1895: Madonna ­Oil on canvas. 90 × 68 cm. Munch Museum, Oslo­

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1895: Puberty ­Oil on canvas, 151.5 x 110 cm­

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1895: Self­Portrait with Burning Cigarette ­Oil on canvas, 110.5 x 85.5 cm­

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1895: Death in the Sickroom ­152.5 x 169.5 cm­

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1899–1900: The Dance of Life ­126 x 190.5 cm, National Gallery, Oslo­

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1899–1900: The Dead Mother ­Oil on canvas, 105 x 178.5 cm­

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1903: Village in Moonlight ­Oil on canvas, 93 x 110, The National Museum of Art, Oslo­

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1940–1942: Self Portrait: Between Clock and Bed ­Oil on canvas, 149.5 x 120.5 cm, Munch Museum­

“I do not believe in the art which is not the compulsive result of Man's urge to open his heart”2 “From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.”3

1

Eggum, Arne; Munch, Edvard (1984). Edvard Munch: Paintings, Sketches, and Studies. New York: C.N. Potter. p.137 ISBN 0­517­55617­0.

2 Eggum, Arne; Munch, Edvard (1984). Edvard Munch: Paintings, Sketches, and Studies. New York: C.N. Potter. p.10 ISBN 0­517­55617­0.

3 Thompson, J. William; Sorvig, Kim (2008). Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors (2nd ed.).

Washington, D.C.: Island Press. p. 30.ISBN 978­1­59726­142­5.

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2.

Introduction Among Munch’s paintings, the most well­known is

The Scream of Nature, best known as The Scream. That is the title of four paintings and a lithograph stone, which are the end of a collection known as The love. Those four paintings are similar versions painted by Munch in various media: one in Oil (1893), two in Pastel (1893 and 1895) and other in Tempera (1910); all painted on cardboard.

The scene was identified as being the view from a road overlooking Oslo, from the hill of Ekeberg.

The Scream was stolen a lot of times, and made a grand polemic in its time.

3.

Formal Analysis 3.1.

Description In this painting we found a man crossing a wooden bridge, over a river, terrified covering his

ears and shouting. The main character, is that man, who is in his mid forties, bald, normal height and thin. He is wearing a blue blouse.

Also, there are two men in the background, they are looking to the sunset or admiring the landscape. We don't know the reason why the author didn’t paint their faces. It seems they are wearing black clothes.

In the background there are two ships, a town and some hills. We can see the sky, it is painted with differents colours, red, yellow, orange… It is in the evening.

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3.2.

Our interpretation Uxía­ My opinion about the picture When I saw ‘’The scream’’ for the first time I thought it was funny but after analysing it, I

thought that it was very sinister. It expresses desolation, stress, loneliness… I like this picture because in my opinion it is strange, There are two people in the background that haven´t got faces or physical traits.

Interpretation In my opinion the man who is in the foreground has a very difficult life. Maybe his girlfriend broke up with him, he lost his job or even his family has disappeared in the sea. He is shouting, it seemed to me that he can't stand it any more and he shouts. In my opinion the picture represents the author’s emotions when he was painting it.

We can know more about the story of ‘‘the Scream’’ if we look at the background. I can see two ships and a fishing town. Maybe the men live there.

It is in the evening at about six o’clock because the sky is red.

Juan­ My opinion about the picture My firsts impressions about that painting were absolutely sad and depressing, but also angry and furious, because of the warm colours, that the painter uses in the firing sky. While I was reading about the painter I understood better the feelings and emotions, that the author wanted to express.

Personally I really like this picture, not for the fame that is recognised nowadays, but because of the contrast between the peaceful sea (in cold colours) and the firing sky (in warm colours) and the fame it hadn’t in the past, and the impression it causes in its time.

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Interpretation It is obvious that the man is shouting, but the reasons are not clear. For me, the most probable would be an unrequited love or the death of a familiar or close friend.

And the idea, that the author wanted to share, I think is the suicide, and the evidence is that he painted the men over the frozen river. Probably this character tried to throw himself to the frozen river from the bridge, thinking that this could be the best option to put an end to his problems.

About the landscape, It could be one of the Scandinavian countries, because of the fjords and the frozen river. Also because of the fishing town at the background and the boats overthere.

The season could be summer or a warm season, because in these cold countries in winter is too cold to go walking. As we can see a sunset the time might will be late afternoon.

3.3.

Basic facts “The scream” is the title of four paintings and a lithograph stone. The four paintings are

similar versions painted by Munch in various media, all on cardboard: ●

Oil (1893) 89 cm x 73,5 cm Oslo’s National Gallery (Norway)

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Pastel (1893) 91 cm × 73.5 cm Munch Museum (Oslo, Norway)

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Pastel (1895) 79 cm x 59 cm Leon Black Personal Collection

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Tempera (1910) 83.5 cm x 66 cm Munch Museum (Oslo, Norway)

Oil (1893)

Pastel (1893)

Pastel (1895)

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Tempera (1910)

4.

Formal qualities The lines are not completely defined. The author uses gross lines with different directions, as in the

bridge (the lines follow the same direction) or the sky and the river, where the lines are curve and entangled.

Also the lines are sharp and they seem spontaneous.

The point of view is from the same bridge, a pair of steps in front of the main character, but also the height varies between the straight on view and the bird’s eye view.

About the colours, warm colours, like orange, red or browns predominate on the sky and the bridge.

On the rest of the picture the main colours are cold, with some blues. The colours are subdued and dark.

The atmosphere of the picture is of loneliness, desolation, desperation, suffering...

5.

Style The scream belongs to two different artistic movements expressionism and symbolism. The

expressionism appeared in Germany in the century XX. When the picture was exposed for first time the public wanted that it was reiterated and it was classified and described as demented art.

6.

Context To understand better that painting, we must know about the polemic it brings. The picture was

exposed in the beginning of the century XX, where the innovations were associated with the industry.

The image of a terrified person with grey skin and shouting, produces horror in the public, and they demand its reiteration. Also in Germany, where the Expressionism began, it was prohibited. In the rest of Europe was classified as demented art.

Later, it will become into an icon of the Expressionism and the Norwegian art.

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6.1.

Symbolism A possible symbol, could be the bridge where the author expresses his feelings of a near

and possible suicide, the end of a deep agony, the scream of the nature...

The symbolism of the image can be seen clearly in the protagonist of the painting. His head is like a skull and his hands are on his ears so that his head doesn't explode.

The aggressive colours and the different colour bands try to explain the shaken and unbalanced mood of the author.

7.

Critical analysis The head, hands and body of the sexless creature which compose the scream resound through the

earth and sky in terrifying waves of intense red, orange and violet. Munch conceived his work as a whole: in the cycle The Frieze of Life, included paintings referring to ancient forces: desire, anxiety, jealousy, loneliness, death.

Its symbolism had mostly a literary impression and very often is associated with writers and theater.

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Bibliographical references ● ● ●

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Wikipedia­ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scream ­ [Accessed 28/3/2014] Biografías y vidas­ http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/m/munch.htm ­ [Accessed 24/10/2014] Errores históricos­ http://www.erroreshistoricos.com/curiosidades­historicas/arte/912­origen­y­curiosidades­sobre­ qel­gritoq­de­munch.html­ [Accessed 25/1/2014] Arte About ­ http://arte.about.com/od/Obras­De­Arte/ss/El­Grito­Edvard­Munch.htm ­[Accessed 19/2/2014] Parlavecchia, Paolo­ Enciclopedia del arte (vol. 6)­ Madrid­ Ediciones Rueda­ 2002 [p. 164­165]

Images Credits ●

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The image of the front page was taken from: Culturismo Digital­ http://foro.culturismodigital.com/viewthread.php?tid=25007 [Accessed 8/3/2014] ○ Oil version: http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5850/munchelgrito0001.jpg The Munch’s photo was taken from: Biografieonline­ http://biografieonline.it/biografia.htm?BioID=368&biografia=Edvard+Munch [Accessed 8/3/2014] ○ http://biografieonline.it/img/bio/e/Edvard_Munch.jpg The images of the oil (1983), pastel (1983) and temepera (1910) versions and the lithograph was taken from: Culturismo Digital­ http://foro.culturismodigital.com/viewthread.php?tid=25007 [Accessed 8/3/2014] ○ Oil version: http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5850/munchelgrito0001.jpg ○ Pastel version:http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7913/munchelgrito0003.jpg ○ Tempera version: http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6089/munchelgrito0004.jpg ○ Lithograph: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/9844/munchelgrito0005.png The image of the pastel version (1985) was taken from: Terra­ http://entretenimiento.terra.com.pe/cultura/el­grito­de­munch­en­manos­del­magnate­estadouni dense­leon­black,b04de418f7b78310VgnVCM4000009bcceb0aRCRD.html [Accessed 8/3/2014] ○ http://p1.trrsf.com/image/fget/cf/301/401/images.terra.com/2012/07/12/elgrito.jpg The image of the theft was taken from: Today­ http://www.today.com/id/5787000#.UxxZwz95PSg [Accessed 8/3/2014] ○ http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040822/040822_scream_bc ol.standard.jpg The image of the auction was taken from: Arte About­ http://arte.about.com/od/Como­Comprar­Arte/tp/Top­5­Casas­De­Subastas­De­Arte­Internaciona les.htm [Accessed 8/3/ 2014] ○ http://0.tqn.com/d/arte/1/0/E/0/­/­/Casa­Subastas­Arte­Sothebys.jpg The images of the painting’s parodies were taken from: Wordpress­ the author was Josa Motril ­ http://josamotril.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/munch­2/ [Accessed 10/3/2014] ○ “Men hitting the Scream”: http://josamotril.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/mun7.jpg ○ “Batman and the Joker”:: http://josamotril.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/mun7.jpg The image of the painting’s parodie “Men’s suicide” was taken from: Dogguie.net­ http://www.dogguie.net/parodias­de­el­grito/ [Accessed 10/3/2014] http://www.dogguie.net/wp­content/uploads/2010/04/34phyed.jpg The image of the painting’s parodie “Air Raid” was taken from: lavidanoimitaelarte­ http://lavidanoimitaalarte.blogspot.com.es/2007_06_01_archive.html [Accessed 10/3/2014] http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o68Jq4UhWbs/RoOEzzcD­KI/AAAAAAAAAtI/CpDEOKhkQZE/s320/erro_ annet_skrik.jpg

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